The roll of honour

Two decades of people who changed the system.

Every winner, across every category we’ve ever run; researchers, clinicians, philanthropists, advocates and organisations from right across the health and medical research pipeline.

Peter Wills Medal

Created in honour of the leader whose work led to the inception of Research Australia, The Peter Wills Medal recognises an Australian who has made an outstanding contribution to building Australia’s international reputation in the area of health and medical research, and fostering collaboration for better health.

Recent winner

Murdoch Children’s Research Institute

Professor Melissa Little AC

All recipients

  • 2025-26 Professor Melissa Little AC, BSc (Hons I), PhD, GAICD, FAAHMS, FAAS
  • 2024 Mr Clyde Campbell AM
  • 2023 Emeritus Professor Caroline Isabel Bower AC
  • 2022 Professor Ian Alexander
  • 2020-21 Dr Brendan Murphy, Secretary of the Department of Health
  • 2019 Professor Kathryn North AC FAHMS
  • 2018 Laureate Professor Nicholas Talley AC
  • 2017 Professor Kim Mulholland
  • 2016 Professor Ian Gust AO
  • 2015 Professor Sharon Lewin AO, FRACP, FAHMS
  • 2014 Professor Alan Lopez AC
  • 2013 Professor Paul Zimmet AO, FRACP
  • 2012 Sir Gustav Nossal AC, CBE, FAA, FRS
  • 2011 Professor John Shine AO, FAA

Discovery Award

An early career researcher (no more than five years post PhD) whose paper/patent/discovery has already demonstrated its importance or impact.

Recent winner

The University of Sydney

Dr Caitlin Jones

All recipients

  • 2025-26 Dr Caitlin Jones
  • 2024 Dr Mustafa Atee
  • 2023 Dr James Pang
  • 2022 Dr Caleb Dawson
  • 2020-21 Dr Mo Chen
  • 2019 Dr Christine Keenan
  • 2018 Dr Sarah Best
  • 2017 Dr Avnika Ruparelia
  • 2016 Dr Rebecca Coll
  • 2015 Dr Andrew Gardner
  • 2014 Dr Genevieve Healy
  • 2013 Dr Franziska Bieri
  • 2012 Dr Motoko Koyama
  • 2011 Dr Oliver Baumann
  • 2010 Dr Mark S Pearson
  • 2009 Dr Sarah Whittle
  • 2008 Dr Jeff Holst

*Digital & Data Health Innovation Award

Recognises those leading the way in the innovative use of data, including data linkage, data matching, or the application of digital health technologies to improve health outcomes, research, or system performance.

*Name and criteria updated in 2024.

Recent winner

A National Infrastructure for Linked Data Innovation

Data Connect Australia

All recipients

  • 2025-26 Data Connect Australia
  • 2024 Deteriorating Aged Care Resident Index — RMIT, Telstra Health & Digital Health CRC
  • 2023 Professor Georgina Chambers
  • 2022 The AusVaxSafety Team
  • 2020-21 Dr Tracy Dudding-Byth
  • 2019 Professor John Lynch FAHMS
  • 2018 Dr Craig Dalton
  • 2017 Professor Helmut Butzkueven
  • 2016 Capital Markets CRC, Health Market Quality Team

Frontiers Research Award

Australia’s strong track record in health and medical research excellence positions it well to lead the world in health innovation. This award recognises the success of innovative health and medical research that extends existing knowledge, boundaries and/ or understandings within health and medical research. This category will recognise transformative research by an individual, team or corporate that will enable Australia’s health system to position itself as a global leader.

Recent winner

The University of Queensland

The Cancer Blueprint – Associate Professor Arutha Kulasinghe

All recipients

  • 2025-26 The Cancer Blueprint – Associate Professor Arutha Kulasinghe
  • 2024 Centre for Microbiome Research
  • 2023 Professor Jake Baum
  • 2022 Scientia Professor Justin Gooding
  • 2020-21 Dr John Parker
  • 2019 Associate Professor Jeremy Crook & Team

Health Services Research Award

This Award recognises leadership that has and made an outstanding contribution to health services research; driven research that has led to a significant improvement in healthcare; and/or has championed the development of the health services research field.

Recent winner

The University of Queensland

Associate Professor Chris Freeman

All recipients

  • 2025-26 Associate Professor Chris Freeman
  • 2024 Professor Christobel Saunders AO
  • 2023 Professor Michele Sterling
  • 2022 Professor Johanna Westbrook
  • 2020-21 Professor Brett Mitchell
  • 2019 Professor Libby Roughead
  • 2018 Professor Sue Kildea
  • 2017 Australian and New Zealand Hip Fracture Registry
  • 2016 Professor Michael Barton OAM
  • 2015 Professor Jeffrey Braithwaite
  • 2014 Professor Robert Sanson-Fisher AO

*Advocacy & Philanthropy Award

This award recognises exceptional contributions made by individuals, teams, families, or organisations that have demonstrated excellence in advocacy and/or philanthropy to support and advance health and medical research and innovation in Australia.

The award celebrates those who have raised awareness and understanding of the importance of health and medical research and/or demonstrated personal philanthropy that is outstanding in generosity, effectiveness, and impact.

*In 2026 the Advocacy Award was combined with the Great Australian Philanthropy Award

Recent winner

Neil and Norma Hill Foundation

All recipients

  • 2025-26 Neil and Normal Hill Foundation
  • 2024 Dr Jane Tiller
  • 2023 Mr Col Reynolds OAM
  • 2022 ghd
  • 2020-21 The Chimera Legacy Foundation
  • 2019 Professor Gordon Lynch
  • 2018 Matthew Grounds
  • 2017 Sanfilippo Children's Foundation
  • 2016 Brenda King
  • 2015 Connie Johnson & Sam Johnson
  • 2014 Karen Livingstone
  • 2013 Mark Beretta
  • 2012 Ita Buttrose AO, OBE
  • 2011 Stephen R Leeder
  • 2010 Li Cunxin
  • 2009 Professor Ian Hickie AM
  • 2008 Dr James O Little AO, musician

The Archive

Retired categories

Categories no longer awarded, kept here as part of the record. Several were folded into The Advocacy & Philanthropy Award. Expand any category to see its recipients.

21 recipients · 2003–2024

Great Australian Philanthropy Award

This award is to recognise and encourage personal philanthropic donations over a period of time by an individual or family to health and medical research.

  • 2024 Mr and Mrs Paul and Sue Taylor
  • 2023 Mr Geoff Cumming
  • 2022 Mr and Mrs Roy and Nola Thompson
  • 20-21 Andrew and Jean Miller (Miller Foundation)
  • 2019 Mrs Pamela Galli, The Lorenzo and Pamela Galli Charitable Trust
  • 2018 The Bill & Iris Burges Trust
  • 2017 Andrew Forrest AO and Nicola Forrest
  • 2016 McCusker Charitable Foundation
  • 2015 John Gandel AO & Pauline Gandel
  • 2014 Len Ainsworth & Gretel Ainsworth; Charles Feeney (two Awards in 2014)
  • 2013 Susan Alberti AO
  • 2012 Harold Charles Mitchell AC
  • 2011 The Sylvia & Charles Viertel Charitable Foundation
  • 2010 Greg Poche AO
  • 2009 Clive Berghofer AM
  • 2008 Judy and Jack Gibson OAM
  • 2007 Frank Lowy AC
  • 2006 Carlo Salteri AC
  • 2005 The Myer Family
  • 2004 Lady Mary Fairfax
  • 2003 Dame Elisabeth Murdoch AC DBE

14 recipients · 2003–2018

Leadership in Corporate Giving Award

To recognise and foster involvement of Australian businesses, both small and large, in advancing health and medical research in Australia.

  • 2018 MACA Limited
  • 2017 The QBE Foundation
  • 2016 Volvo Car Australia
  • 2014 Bupa
  • 2013 Rio Tinto
  • 2012 Xstrata Coal
  • 2011 David Jones
  • 2009 Macquarie Group Foundation
  • 2008 Pfizer Australia
  • 2007 Wesfarmers Ltd
  • 2006 L.J. Hooker
  • 2005 Estee Lauder
  • 2004 Coco’s Fresh Food Market, Queensland
  • 2003 Channel Seven Perth

12 recipients · 2003–2014

Leadership and Innovation Award

This award recognises an individual or organisation that has shown exceptional leadership and/or innovation towards making health and medical research a higher national priority.

  • 2014 Alastair Lucas AM
  • 2013 Simon McKeon AO
  • 2012 Will Delaat AM
  • 2011 Professor Doug Hilton, PHD, FAA, FTSE
  • 2010 Professor John Funder AO
  • 2009 Professor Joseph Sambrook
  • 2008 Professor Fiona Stanley AC
  • 2007 Professor J. Coghlan AO
  • 2006 Sir Gus Nossal AC CBE
  • 2005 The Hon John Brumby, Minister for State & Regional Development Minister for Innovation
  • 2004 The Hon. Peter Beattie, Premier of Queensland
  • 2003 The Hon. Bob Carr, Premier of New South Wales

14 recipients · 2003–2015

Lifetime Achievement Award

This award honours a significant lifetime commitment to supporting and promoting health and medical research.

  • 2015 Prof Perry Bartlett FAA
  • 2014 Carol Langsford & Roy Langsford
  • 2013 Bill Ferris AC
  • 2012 Professor Philip Sambrook (posthumous)
  • 2012 Professor Hugh R Taylor AC
  • 2011 Laureate Professor Peter C Doherty, AC, FAA, FRS
  • 2010 Professor Colin Binns
  • 2009 Elaine Henry OAM
  • 2008 Professor the Hon. Barry Jones AO
  • 2007 Ken Roberts AM
  • 2006 The Hon Neville Wran AC
  • 2005 Sir Bruce Watson AC
  • 2004 Dr Susan Alberti AM
  • 2003 Mrs Mickie Hardie and Mrs Leila Schmidt (posthumous)

5 recipients · 2003–2007

Celebrity Advocacy Award

This award recognises an Australian celebrity who has used their fame and influence in advocacy, fundraising or building awareness of health and medical research.

  • 2007 Lisa Wilkinson, television personality
  • 2006 Ricky Ponting, Australian cricket captain
  • 2005 Delta Goodrem, musician, singer and actress
  • 2004 Michael Milton, Paralympian and supporter of children’s cancer research
  • 2003 Sarah Murdoch, Model and Patron for the National Breast Cancer Foundation

4 recipients · 2004–2007

Health Research in the Media Award

This award recognises journalists/media personalities who have dedicated their time and efforts to promoting health and medical research through the media and raising the profile of research in the Australian community.

  • 2007 Carol Nader, The Age newspaper
  • 2006 Dr Norman Swan, Health Reporter, ABC Radio National
  • 2005 Sophie Scott, National Health Reporter, ABC Television
  • 2004 Belinda Hope, Medical Reporter, National Nine News.

1 recipient · 2006

National Leadership in Advocacy Award

The National Leadership in Advocacy Award was a special award presented to the Federal Minister for Health and Ageing Hon. Tony Abbott for his personal commitment to raising funds the Westmead Millennium Institute through the Pollie Pedal bike ride.

  • 2006 Hon. Tony Abbott MP

A night to celebrate the best in health and medical research.

Along with further awards recognising research, innovation, leadership, philanthropy and advocacy.

Finalists
View the past winners gallery